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Facebook Announces “Paper” as a New Way to Consume Its Content, Forgets Android Exists

Facebook is about to release a barrage of stand-alone apps for its services to get you to pick and choose which you’d like to use. Facebook as an ecosystem is potentially too large to bring all of it into one app, so Zuckerberg and the crew will lean (not the Bieber kind) it out and create individual app experiences. The first is called Paper. Yes, you heard about this one a couple of weeks ago.

With Paper, Facebook is trying to get you to use Facebook as a news source or aggregator. Paper introduces a full-screen, immersive experience that is distraction free, leaving you with only the content in front of your eyes. Your Timeline is one section, with beautiful new image, video, and long-form post layouts. But you will also see sections for specific types of news that you’d like to follow from sports to politics to photography. There are stories from mainstream media along with content from “emerging voices.”

In terms of design, Paper looks quite beautiful. It seems almost like a mix of Flipboard, Google Currents, and Facebook Home, which is not necessarily a bad thing. There are pretty transitions, an uncluttered UI, and image-forward thinking all over the place. Below, you’ll find Facebook’s thoughts on how the design works and feels:

Everything responds to your touch so you can pick up or thumb through stories with simple, natural movements

You can tilt your phone to explore high-resolution panoramic photos from corner to corner, and see faces and other important details up close

Fullscreen autoplay videos come to life and bring you deep into the action

Beautifully detailed covers make it easy to spot articles from trusted publishers and decide what to read or watch.· Articles unfold in the app and appear fullscreen for a focused reading experience

When you’re ready to tell your own story, you know exactly what your post or photo will look like because you see a live preview before you share it

Since the app isn’t live until February 3, you’ll have to experience it through a web tour here.

Oh, and did we mention that it’s on iPhone only? No word on an Android release. Good job Facebook, forgetting the most popular operating system on the planet, again.

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And to add up, people think they know better and criticize Mark and his company. Think you can do better than him? Think he’s an idiot? Speak up when you could build something greater than Facebook and be one of the youngest billionaires in the world.

Anonymous

Oh, and did we mention that it’s on iPhone only? No word on an Android release. Good job Facebook, forgetting the most popular operating system on the planet, again.
———>>> ummm they gave ANDROID, FACEBOOK HOME. So now they gave IOS (IPHONE), PAPER. All is fair. Unless you are on WINDOWS PHONE or BB OS, shut up.

Greg Jenkins

If you knew how much more complicated it was to develop an Android application, you wouldn’t be so shocked whenever a major company released iPhone first. Android is horrendously complicated on every level, from laying out the interface to
Not to say that iOS doesn’t have its disadvantages, but there are so many things that are just insanely simpler. Eclipse is incredibly annoying to deal with, the emulator is essentially worthless, and making even simple apps in Android requires so much more knowledge and work than an iOS app. Plus android screens come in so many different sizes and versions, they have to do a lot more work just to make sure the app functions and displays properly on every target device.

Stop whining please! We’ve had our share of exclusives on Android too – Facebook Home for a starter…

Even though iOS get it first, we’ll get it eventually, and by then most of the bugs and bad experiences are filtered out by the test rabbits who uses IOS.

STOP WHINING AND LOOK AT ALL THE EXCLUSIVES WE ALREADY GOT AS AN ANDROID USER! customization, choice, innovative OEMs and a very innovative Google.

MiMo1986s

we have FB home and ill close my account for that i don’t care also too many ppl will not like that .

David Mitchell

I personally prefer a visual app like Hinto.co where I can pick out what I want to see, instead of being told what news to read by an algorithm. But I must admit, the video presentation of Paper is pretty impressive and the effects are very nice.

In terms of design, this is actually nice! Maybe they plan to just replace the official app with this int he future? But facebook’s promo videos always makes it seem like everyone’e stream is filled with great looking people doing amazing and awesome stuff. In reality, its filled with memes, selfies in a bathroom and boring status updates. Not exactly FB’s fault but needs to be pointed out….

Guest

This is why I’m going to iOS. It’s a never-ending, vicious cycle.

creed

“Paper introduces a full-screen, immersive experience that is distraction free, leaving you with only the content in front of your eyes.”

Almost like this site while using expanded desktop mode on CM…. Almost, except for the damn fb, Twitter, and G+ buttons at the top. Get rid of them already!

Chris M

People still use FB?

Fresh360

I think in the rush to be outraged that Android enthusiast forgot about the Android ONLY “Facebook Home”…Zuck and company shoveled a lot of money and man hours into an Android ONLY app that no one cares about, now it’s just iOS’ turn…

sirmeili

1) There was no way in hell that Apple would give FB the access needed to do this on an iPhone.. just WAS. NOT. GOING. TO. HAPPEN. So as far as it was “Android only” is because Android was the only OS open enough to do it (I wouldn’t be surprised if MSFT also restricted the access needed to do it).

2) Creating a crappy app for Android is not the Android communities fault. It was a bad app and was not widely adapted due to that. Also, it was restricted to which devices it could run on, so even wide spread adoption was not close to possible (at least from my understanding).

3) From what I understand FB has an iOS team and an Android team (This could be wrong). If that is true, they could have easily both been working on the app at the same time and coordinated a unified release. FB is about data and ads. Limiting their potential user base in this way will likely hurt them.

That being said, even my Fiance refuses to use the regular FB app on android. She just uses the mobile site. So perhaps the biggest problem here isn’t Android vs iOS, its their respective teams that work for FB (not really saying they are bad devs, but it’s a possibility at least)

Fresh360

I think you totally missed the point of what I was saying because you are in fact the outraged Android enthusiast I speak, but I digress…

sirmeili

I’m actually not pissed. I don’t really care about this app. I think it’s dumb of them not to release it on Android at the same time, but perhaps they know better. I was just calling you out on you comparing FB Home to this. It was nowhere near possible for them to do FB Home on any other OS besides Android. It wasn’t an exclusive to be an exclusive. It was something they wanted to do and Android was their only path to get to their destination without writing their own OS.

I get what you’re saying though (I think). This will be a flop on iOS and it’s just their turn to get a crappy FB app that will wither away and die. I just didn’t care for the comparison to Home is all 🙂

Fresh360

What I am saying is an exclusive was made for Android (no matter how bad or why, we can agree it was an exclusive), now iOS gets an exclusive…Thats all, nothing metaphysical or life changing just a basic observation one that the title of this article as well as the anger in these comments seem to have forgot…Now when a new app comes out and it’s iOS only I am among the 1st to grab a pitchfork but this just isnt one of those times.

sirmeili

I understand your stance. I think most aren’t upset because they are not getting the app (or maybe they are?). I think they just think FB is making a mistake. Granted, I will forget about this by dinner time, so I really don’t care either way. I am slowly moving my fam and friends over to g+ (which I see apparently people think is just as bad, but I could care less, I prefer the “atmosphere” on g+ better)

Manny

@Kellex. Yes android is more popular but ios is more relevant. Facebook and Marky Mark Z. Might be a little smarter than the both of us and knows the facts.
If you want to make an app or service big, release it first on ios. If ios fans like it and bring it good press. Android will just follow.

NemaCystX

oh cool, they can be the guinea pigs and test it for us

thisnoblesavage

Well when you have a second rate OS you’re going to get secondary priority. #reality

Manny

These are usually educated decisions made by educated people made on past mistakes. You say secondary but we all know who really runs Shhhhhhhhhh !!!!! ##FACTS

Android…not an app for that

Forgetting or never really caring? Enjoy being the red headed step child of app development. How is that Nike Fuel Band app progress going?

Android monetization is really poor. It’s not really surprising they went this route. Usage numbers are nowhere close.

thisnoblesavage

Yup that’s fact. With the Android OS so fractured (barely 2% are on KitKat) and it’s user base expecting everything for “free” this is what happens. Like any smart company you’re going to focus in on the market segment that’s the most profitable. Hence the reason why iOS apps always gets developed for first. Android users can boast about how everything is free and cheaper but the reality is that in the end their users get secondary treatment.

sirmeili

I would see your point if this was a paid app, but it’s not. It’s another free app so I don’t see why they wouldn’t release it on both platforms at once.

shooter50

Thankyou, but no. Facebook is a necessary evil in some cases, but for news, no way. Facebook app sucks. Auto playing video suck even more. Too many legitimate news sources to even consider using something put out by facebook

Shane Redman

“so Zuckerberg and the crew will lean (not the Bieber kind) it out”

Right…because we all know this is the lean they were aiming for.

Nick V

I will not any more Facebook apps. I use FB to keep in touch with my family and irritate the other side of the political realm, and that is it. I would love to just get away from them completely, but I have too many people using it.

Chris

and they will keep using it.

Radgatt

Isn’t Zuckerberg giving a keynote at Mobile World Congress? That may be when it comes out for Android since Android is most popular everywhere but the USA.

Adam Marr

52% market share in the US is not the most popular? I only have a minor in math, but I’m pretty sure 52% makes it the most popular in the USA as well 😉

Radgatt

I was looking at manufacturer. My bad.

thisnoblesavage

Market share doesn’t mean squat if that share of the market isn’t spending or isn’t profitable. While iOS has a vastly smaller market share (globally) it’s superior ecosystem still making billions.

Adrynalyne

Hit both major ecosystems, make more money. This isn’t rocket surgery or brain science.

Adam Marr

Superior ecosystem? That’s laughable. It may have a user-base more willing to part with money and more easily duped by ads, but we aren’t talking about some free-to-play game here. We are talking about a social media platform that is used just as often by millions of people not on iOS. To ignore those users is asinine at best. Not to mention while iOS baked FB support into the OS, android has better hooks (intents) for allowing them to integrate new apps into the system, giving you a significantly better user experience.

Droid Ronin

Everybody criticized Facebook for not giving enough attention to Android…so what do they do? Deliver the monstrosity known as Facebook Home. Deleted the official Facebook app from my phone a year ago and haven’t looked back.

If companies weren’t “stupid enough” (or as I would say it – brave enough) to actually test new ideas, every smartphone would look like a blackberry or iPhone. Thank God it isn’t like that.

Adrynalyne

Someone else’s launcher as the main UI isn’t innovation.

There is a difference between taking risks and piss poor decisions. For one, had they guaged the user response to it first, they would have seen it was a bad idea. Instead they skipped the market research and jumped blindly.

Guest

You’re looking back right now.

Nathan Borup

“Good job Facebook, forgetting the most popular operating system on the planet, again.” lol nice

Mr. Matt

Why didn’t they just call it FaceBoard?

michael arazan

PaperFace

Anthony Tyson

Why is anyone surprised when we don’t get an app? Yes its bullsh*t but its common. Just continue to voice your opinion to the devs. Sadly I doubt it’ll ever change.

thisnoblesavage

Well when you have a second rate OS you’re going to get secondary priority. #reality

Adrynalyne

I guess the majority of smartphone users prefer a second rate OS.

Chris Schmucker

Still waiting on that newsfeed redesign they announced last spring.

Pratik Holla

I heard its been cancelled. Apparently the limited testers they rolled it out to weren’t engaging with the site to FB’s expectations. So either they will scrap it or come out with a heavily modified design from last year.

Marcus

I hate to bring up the Moto deal but this is what it kills, beautiful apps. Everyone has a skin on it’s phone and it makes it difficult to build these type of apps for. The moto x/motorola and the nexus encourages the other brands to move to the middle. Just like the HTC one caused Samsung to reconsider its quality. The samsung google deal is nothing more than a deal to keep samsungs market share because what other compaanies like motorola was doing is starting to work. Android will lose out and lag behind if it continues down this trend of a 3k pixel display with lag and an intrusive skin that will demand a six cylinder motor and a huge battery, and people will brag look at those specs. Optimization and refinement is what I want from my phone!

Jonathan Williams

I was thinking more of a V8

RICK RUDE

Facebook is for the lames.

ToddAwesome

Don’t be a lame!

Chris

and yet its used by hundreds of thousands of people…

ToddAwesome

I think your numbers are low.

Chris

Al lthe times I’m on Google plus its always foreigners with a few americans on it and even then the content doesnt match.)

Google plus is aimed at nerds. Nuff said.

ToddAwesome

Foreigners are people too.

Chris

they are still foreigners who have ZERO right using it.

sirmeili

I feel honored to finally meet the owner of Google! I”m so glad that you finally announced to the public that G+ is only for those of us in the US!!!! Thank the all mighty Jesus our lord and saviour that you have finally done this!!

Dude, Get a damn life. Googe+ is international, just like FB.

I of course realize that you have to be just F’ing with people cause no one is so damn stupid to believe that.

That’s precisely why i deleted my G+. It’s always the foreigners complaining when the next Google app or product update comes to their country. I’m lucky to find a fellow level-headed person there.

ToddAwesome

Because you don’t find people on THIS site complaining about the same things? GTFO

AbbyZFresh

No i haven’t seen anything like that on DL so far. And i’ve been on here for over a year now.

ToddAwesome

90% of the comments on this site are people whining about why X,Y,Z isn’t coming to their carrier, their phone, etc.

Chris

I also hate all the random “suggestions” based on the same interests, employer etc.

Yes We liked the same page. Yes we were in the same discussion but I do not know them, not do I wish to add them…

speaking of adding. All the random adding from those i don’t know.

RICK RUDE

Bunch of lame bastards.

Liderc

I think you mean billions.

Silver Veloz

For iPhone only. No reason to read any further.

Cael

Apparently Facebook doesn’t have other apps it needs to fix first…

Chase Chick

going along, going along, and then blam, some hot chick in a bathtub?

Justin Barrett

I find it interesting that Facebook creates a whole mess of apps and spreads them out, while Google puts all of these features in one place (G+). You can tell which service is aiming for profits, and which is aiming for overall user experience.

Google shouldn’t have fanbois

I’m confused, Facebook didn’t sell an American company to China, so are they the one aiming for overall user experience?

Aww is valid points of Google’s history of caring only about money hurting your feeble mind causing you to cry troll?

Adrynalyne

One of the voices in your head is rebelling, bro.

(You replied to yourself)

Tony Byatt

Or a troll is mutating…

smh…

Adrynalyne

Ah, a fake account, I missed that.

NeilGeorge

Hmm you should read the statement more clearly..

TheOgler

If their Android version would be on a par with the actual Facebook app, I don’t think we’re missing anything. Has to be one of the worst apps I’ve ever seen released from a power company, particularly a tech one. Not that I really do much with Facebook anymore anyway.

TheWenger

In their defense, the Facebook app is WAYYYYYYY better than it used to be. There are actually a lot of neat UI things they do and it’s surprisingly response (although that may be because I’m using a N5).

TheOgler

That may be the only reason. My poor ole GNex can barely even load images or update.

diversion

I went from a GNex to a Moto X and the Facebook experience is a complete 180. Much more responsive and quick-loading.

jesusmbaez

I kinda agree. Been testing the alpha versions lately and I will say that they are MUCH more smooth and less janky. That being said the still need more work. They need to release that cleaner design to the masses that some people have.

Gideon Waxfarb

I STILL can’t get Facebook notifications for PMs to work reliably half the time on Android, even with their Messenger app installed. I even went so far as to try the infamous ‘Blackberry hack’ at one point.

I use greenify to hibernate facebook when Im not using it which would probably help out with this

Menger40

I just use facebook’s mobile site in Chrome, but greenify is a good idea.

Liderc

And Google doesn’t? They have more info than anyone does about you.

AbbyZFresh

Why not stop using both altogether if you hate Google and Facebook taking your data? It’s as easy as one click.

Liderc

I don’t hate Google, quite the contrary, I’m just pointing out that Google has just as much (if not more) information on its users than Facebook.

The whole “I don’t use Facebook because they steal my information” thing is just ridiculous. It shows that the person is completely oblivious to how the internet is monetized.

And the majority of the time on Facebook it’s the user who submits the information, while Google takes it secretly. I love Google, use a Nexus 5, currently streaming on my Chrome Cast, but the facts are the facts.

Totally agree. When someone tries to talk to me about information theft online, I just roll my eyes.

SDL78

Bullet….Dodged.

Menger40

They’re still sore about the HTC First and facebook home. 😛

John Legere

Talk about abominations. That was the worst possible thing they could do. Oh well, Zucks an idiot so it makes sense.

sc0rch3d

stock price says otherwise. doesn’t matter to them what works best for us users as long as the investors and analysts are appeased.

John Legere

Lol cause money = good.

He’s an idiot for many reasons.

sirmeili

“doesn’t matter to them what works best for us users as long as the investors and analysts are appeased.”

^^^^ This is why I HATE the idea of a corporation. It’s never about profit, it’s about always getting more and more profit. My last company would hold quarterly meetings and say “We did excellent!! as a matter of fact we exceeded(or just missed) the analysts expectations on wall street! The problem is that we didn’t actually meet their expectations so it is no likely anyone will get bonuses this year.”

Makes no sense…so we don’t get bonuses because someone who doesn’t even work for us said “you should do X this quarter” and we didnt, but we still did either good or even better than they wanted. “Yeah, but it doesn’t give the stock holders confidence if we can’t accurately predict our quarterly numbers” …. WE STILL DID F@#$@#$ GOOD YOU MORONS!!

Sorry about the rant, but i’m really starting to hate the idea of “Corporations” and their very existence.

/rant

michael arazan

Its Effing atrocious of how analysts “predict” what a company can or might do. and if companies don’t make it the expectations even by a a small marginal percent, they dump the stock. Their really shouldn’t be predictions and betting on companies to hit or miss predictions. Wall Street now is Just A Giant Casino For the 1%.

El_Big_CHRIS

Good. One more reason to ditch FB

AbbyZFresh

Just delete it already.

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